


Patron Saint

by Gorgeous Nerd (gorgeousnerd)



Series: dogdaysofsummer 2009 [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: dogdaysofsummer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-21
Updated: 2009-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-19 04:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgeousnerd/pseuds/Gorgeous%20Nerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Azkaban, a little hope goes a long way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patron Saint

**Author's Note:**

> For [dogdaysofsummer](http://dogdaysofsummer.livejournal.com) 2009, [prompt 16](http://community.livejournal.com/dogdaysofsummer/296669.html). Also available on [its original community post](http://dogdaysofsummer.livejournal.com/314855.html), [my LJ fic community](http://community.livejournal.com/chomalfoyfics/20934.html), and [DW](http://firmament.dreamwidth.org/14108.html).

Occasionally, Azkaban had warm temperatures. Sirius noticed less Dementors and more sun on those days, and he'd heard, through the network of prisoners, that the Minister took the guards away for high-security occasions. It was apparently the best time to "slip away", as they called it, but no one had ever managed it. Small wonder, if the screams and cackling he'd heard was any indication.

He supposed many found a break from their insanity on these days. Sirius wasn't so lucky. Changing into Padfoot on the days when the Dementors lingered was almost fun, in its way. When he couldn't fight, he remembered. The irony didn't escape him.

On one such day, he recalled a summer in his teenage years when he'd spent a day swimming at the beach with James, Peter, and Remus. He'd been trying to remember individual details, like the lunch they ate and the name of the beach, when he remembered the special importance of the day. How he and Remus had wrestled in the surf, and kissed for the first time. How Remus's face had glowed under the drops of water and grains of sand on his face.

Tears welled in his eyes. He tried not to think of Remus as he probably was now – older, and hating him – and tried to blot the water away with his dirty sleeve, but they trickled down his cheeks and splashed on the floor.

"Hello."

Sirius twitched. Across the cell, another man was huddled in the corner.

"How--" Sirius began, then coughed to clear his throat. It had been a long time since he'd spoken. "How'd you get in?"

The man tilted his head. His hair and beard appeared as long as the ones Sirius sported, but trimmed and neat. In fact, the man was much cleaner in general, which implied he was a new addition, but Sirius didn't recognize his face or his voice.

"Would you like some bread?" the man asked as he extended his hands. He clutched nearly a full loaf, much more than anyone in this place ate in a week.

It was a trap. What did the stranger have to gain?

The man noticed Sirius's hesitancy. He put the loaf on the ground and rolled it, and it stopped against the rags on Sirius's feet. Sirius picked it up – Merlin, it was _warm_ – and sniffed it. It smelled as fresh as if it had come straight from a bakery.

Even if he had been thinking logically, he might have concluded that there was little risk in eating the bread. But before his mind could catch up, hunger took over, and he bit into the loaf with a ferocious snap. He filled his mouth, barely chewed, and swallowed so much he nearly choked. He went for more before he caught his breath, so by the time he finished, he was panting almost as much as Padfoot.

"Thank you," Sirius said as soon as he could manage the air.

The man nodded and rose. Sirius flinched back as he stepped forward, but the man didn't stop. Sirius watched his comfortable walk and knew he couldn't defend himself if it came to a fight. He prepared to change anyway.

Since the cell was small, the man was directly in front of him in no time. He crouched in front of Sirius and looked him in the face.

"You're innocent," the man said.

Sirius shook his head. His tangled hair bobbed around him.

The man put a hand on his knee. Sirius tilted his head away. "I wouldn't be here if you weren't."

Sirius began to cry, then sobbed. His body shook until the man embraced him, and Sirius didn't have it in him to push him away.

He awakened hours later to moonlight streaming in his cell. Clouds were rolling in, and he was alone. A creeping feeling tickled the back of his neck, and he clenched his fists.

 _Remus_ , he thought. For the first time in a long while, the thought warmed him.

He transformed and fell back asleep.


End file.
